Evolution of volatile compounds, aroma attributes, and sensory perception in bottle-aged red wines and their correlation

Tropospheric ozone - hidden cost for the financial performance of French wineries

The paper investigates how tropospheric ozone affects the financial performance of French wine companies by influencing their operating income, using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) methodology. The study encompasses 487 active French wine industry companies from 2010 to 2022, considering various market, climate, and financial factors. The main findings show that high concentrations of tropospheric ozone negatively affect both the quality and quantity of grapes, thereby reducing the operating income of French wine companies and, consequently, their financial performance. More precisely, within the current market conditions and climate context, a 1% rise in tropospheric ozone levels leads to a 10.4% decrease in the operating income of French wine companies, which translates to a 0.7-0.8% decline in their financial performance. A strong market position enables French wine companies to achieve higher revenues, increased profit margins, and sustainable growth. Additionally, lower soil wetness, humidity, and temperature under higher atmospheric pressure improve grapevine growth and grape quality, further boosting revenue. Policy implications for wine producers include adopting site selection, irrigation, and canopy management strategies to enhance grape quality and financial health. Public authorities can address tropospheric ozone pollution through air quality standards, monitoring systems, financial incentives, and educational programs to mitigate its adverse effects.

Evolution of Aroma Profiles in Vitis vinifera L. Marselan and Merlot from Grapes to Wines and Difference between Varieties

The fermentation process has a significant impact on the aromatic profile of wines, particularly in relation to the difference in fermentation matrix caused by grape varieties. This study investigates the leaching and evolution patterns of aroma compounds in Vitis vinifera L. Marselan and Merlot during an industrial-scale vinification process, including the stages of cold soak, alcohol fermentation, malolactic fermentation, and one-year bottle storage. The emphasis is on the differences between the two varieties. The results indicated that most alcohols were rapidly leached during the cold soak stage. Certain C6 alcohols, terpenes, and norisoprenoids showed faster leaching rates in 'Marselan', compared to 'Merlot'. Some branched chain fatty-acid esters, such as ethyl 3-methylbutyrate, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, and ethyl lactate, consistently increased during the fermentation and bottling stages, with faster accumulation observed in 'Marselan'. The study combines the Orthogonal Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) model based on odor activity values to elucidate the accumulation of these ethyl esters during bottle storage, compensating for the reduction in fruity aroma resulting from decreased levels of (E)-β-damascenone. The 'Marselan' wine exhibited a more pronounced floral aroma due to its higher level of linalool, compared to the 'Merlot' wine. The study unveils the distinctive variation patterns of aroma compounds from grapes to wine across grape varieties. This provides a theoretical framework for the precise regulation of wine aroma and flavor, and holds significant production value.

Evolution in the Bottling of Cabernet Sauvignon Wines Macerated with Their Own Toasted Vine-Shoots

This work studies, for the first time, the effect of the use of Cabernet Sauvignon vine-shoots as an enological additive (called "Shoot Enological Granule", SEG) in wines of the same variety. SEGs were added in two doses (12 and 24 g/L) at the end of malolactic fermentation, and after that, wines were bottled for six months. The phenolic and volatile composition and sensory profiles of wines were analyzed at bottling and after six months. The results showed a decrease in the total content of phenolic compounds with bottle time; however, stilbenes─specifically trans-resveratrol─were maintained at significant levels in SEG wines. In contrast, the total content of volatile compounds, mainly esters, increased with bottle aging. Finally, in terms of sensory profile, SEG wines showed a clear differentiation between the descriptors and the control, with more-integrated aromas after bottle time with more toasted, nutty vanilla notes, as well as silkier and less bitter tannins, compared to the control.

A Review on Wine Flavour Profiles Altered by Bottle Aging

The wine flavour profile directly determines the overall quality of wine and changes significantly during bottle aging. Understanding the mechanism of flavour evolution during wine bottle aging is important for controlling wine quality through cellar management. This literature review summarises the changes in volatile compounds and non-volatile compounds that occur during wine bottle aging, discusses chemical reaction mechanisms, and outlines the factors that may affect this evolution. This review aims to provide a deeper understanding of bottle aging management and to identify the current literature gaps for future research.

Chemical and Sensory Characterization of Xinomavro Red Wine Using Grapes from Protected Designations of Northern Greece

Despite Xinomavro (Vitis vinifera L.) being a well-known noble red grape variety of northern Greece, little is known about its ''bouquet'' typicity. Volatile compounds of Xinomavro wines produced using a common vinification protocol were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and sensory descriptive analysis was carried out with a trained panel. Wines were characterized by the presence of fatty acids, ethyl and acetate esters, and alcohols, with contributions from terpenes and a volatile phenol. The most active aroma compounds were determined to be 3-methylbutyl acetate, β-damascenone, ethyl esters of octanoic and hexanoic acids, and eugenol. Those compounds positively correlated with fruity and spicy odor descriptors, with the wines being mostly characterized by five typical aroma terms: strawberry, berry fruit, spices, tomato, and green bell pepper. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis was used to visualize relationship between the orthonasal sensory attributes and the volatile aroma compounds with calculated OAVs > 1. Key aroma-active volatiles in the wines were identified using GC-MS/olfactometry, providing a list of 40 compounds, among which 13 presented a modified detection frequency > 70%. This study is the first of its kind and provided strong indications regarding the aroma compounds defining the sensory characteristics of Xinomavro wines.

Ensuring the preservation of the quality of wine during storage

The article presents the necessity for a detailed approach to the choice of packaging for wine, as well as assessing their quality level. It has been established that the transformation of the component composition of wine proceeds with different intensity depending on the type of packaging and leads to different consequences, mainly due to the occurrence of redox reactions, as well as the degree of gas exchange during storage. Complex packaging "package in a box" can become a source of premature oxidation of wines and the appearance of foreign synthetic inclusions in them.

Impact of canopy management practices on phenolic composition and sensory profile of cv. Teran wine

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of early leaf removal (ELR) and cluster thinning (CT) on the phenolic composition of cv. Teran berries and wines, and the sensory profile of wines at 6 and 24 months after fermentation. Although only ELR increased the concentration of total anthocyanins in the berries as compared to the untreated control (UC), both ELR and CT had higher concentration of total anthocyanins and greater colour intensity in the resultant wines than the UC. Similar effects were obtained with total phenolics in the berries and the wines; while CT obtained higher concentration of total phenolics in the berries than UC only in one season, same treatment obtained higher concentration of total phenolics in the wine in both seasons as compared to UC. Only minor sensory differences in wines were obtained at the age of 6 months, while treatments were highly discriminated 24 months after fermentation, when both ELR and CT wines had more enhanced fruitiness, aromatic intensity, complexity, body, balance and wine overall quality than UC. The obtained results indicate that adequate wine aging period is needed for a relevant assessment of the impact of vineyard management practices on wine sensory characteristics.

Influence of Must Clarification Technique on the Volatile Composition of Albariño and Treixadura Wines

Clarification of the musts is carried out to remove particles that cause turbidity, oxidizable polyphenols, and eliminate excess of proteins. However, an excessive clarification of the musts can lead to the reduction of volatile compound concentrations and, as a consequence, modify the sensorial properties of the wines. Therefore, in this study, the influence of two pre-fermentation clarification techniques (static settling and flotation) on the concentrations of volatile compounds has been assessed in Albariño and Treixadura wines. Fermentations were performed at an industrial scale. Volatile compounds have been identified and quantified by gas chromatography (FID and mass spectrometry detection) and expert panelists assessed the sensory properties of the final wines. The results showed effects of the clarification techniques on the volatile composition of wines from both varieties. Flotation significantly increased the concentrations of benzyl alcohol in Treixadura wines, whereas this technique increased the concentration of 1-hexanol, octanoic acid, and furfural in Albariño wines, but without exceeding the corresponding perception thresholds. Panelists tended to score higher the wines coming from flotation, which, together with the shorter application time, makes this technique suitable for clarifying the musts of these two white varieties.

The study of the processes of influence of auxiliary agents on grape processing products

The study of the processes of the influence of capping and packaging on the quality of finished products during storage is an important component of maintaining the stable quality of wines. It has been found that packaging has a significant impact on the evolution of wine during storage. It was found that the variation in the content of total sulfur dioxide and dissolved oxygen depending on the type of packing has an inverse relationship. The dissolved oxygen content was higher in wines bottled in glass bottles and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles compared to products in composite packaging. These results are metrics to consider when choosing the packaging depending on the intended distribution and marketing method. The closures are the source of a variety of microbiological and chemical substances in wine. The nomenclature depends on the kind and the type of used plugs. Natural cork, in most cases, enriches the wine with substances of microbiological origin, as well as their waste products. Synthetic closures introduce chemical components that are not inherent in the nature of wine, thereby disrupting the aroma and color of the product.

Adapting Polarized Projective Mapping to Investigate Fruitiness Aroma Perception of White Wines from Oregon

Fruitiness is a highly desirable aroma quality in white wines. This study aimed to investigate the fruitiness aroma perception of white wines using a rapid sensory method and to compare the sensory maps obtained from wine experts and trained consumers. A polarized projective mapping (PPM) method was adapted by using fruit standards as fixed poles. Twenty-one white wines were selected for this study. Ten wine experts and twelve trained consumers participated in the adapted PPM followed by ultra-flash profiling (UFP). While experts and trained consumers used different poles to characterize the Pinot Gris and Viogniers, both panels used the stone fruit pole for the Chardonnays. UFP revealed that the Pinot Gris and Viognier samples presented fruity and floral aromas and most Chardonnay wines presented non-fruity aromas. The white wines investigated presented a wide range of fruity aromas. The use of aroma standards instead of products as poles seems to be a reliable alternative to investigate fruitiness in white wines. This study helped us to understand the predominant aromas of varietal white wines from Oregon and emphasized the importance of adapting sensory methods to investigate fruitiness perception.

Diversity and dynamics of fungi during spontaneous fermentations and association with unique aroma profiles in wine

Microbial ecology is an integral part of an agricultural ecosystem and influences the quality of agricultural commodities. Microbial activity influences grapevine health and crop production, conversion of sugar to ethanol during fermentation, thus forming wine aroma and flavour. There are regionally differentiated microbial patterns in grapevines and must but how microbial patterns contribute to wine regional distinctiveness (terroir) at small scale (<100 km) is not well defined. Here we characterise fungal communities, yeast populations, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae populations during spontaneous fermentation using metagenomics and population genetics to investigate microbial distribution and fungal contributions to the resultant wine. We found differentiation of fungi, yeasts, and S. cerevisiae between geographic origins (estate/vineyard), with influences from the grape variety. Growth and dominance of S. cerevisiae during fermentation reshaped the fungal community and showed geographic structure at the strain level. Associations between fungal microbiota diversity and wine chemicals suggest that S. cerevisiae plays a primary role in determining wine aroma profiles at a sub-regional scale. The geographic distribution at scales of less than 12 km supports that differential microbial communities, including the dominant fermentative yeast S. cerevisiae can be distinct in a local setting. These findings provide further evidence for microbial contributions to wine terroir, and perspectives for sustainable agricultural practices to maintain microbial diversity and optimise fermentation function to craft beverage quality.

Evolution of the Aroma of Treixadura Wines during Bottle Aging

Aroma is a crucial attribute for wine quality, particularly in white wines. Traditionally, the consumption of young white wines is recommended over the year following grape harvest due to potential aroma losses that would worsen wine quality. This study aimed to investigate the evolution of volatile compounds, odor activity value-based aroma notes, and sensory perception in Treixadura (Vitis vinifera L.) dry white wines during a 24-month bottle-aging period. Volatile composition was determined by gas chromatography, and wine sensory evaluation was performed by experts. Wine samples had similar volatile compositions at the time of bottling. The volatile contents of the wines were respectively 322.9, 302.7, 323.0, and 280.9 mg L⁻¹ after 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of bottle storage. Most of the volatiles tended to maintain constant concentrations, or with slight increases in all families of volatiles except for acetates and carbonyl compounds, until two years after harvest (18 months of bottle storage) and, then, concentrations reduced sharply. After 24 months of storage in the bottle, the concentrations of terpenes, C6 compounds, higher alcohols, ethyl esters, fatty acids, acetates, carbonyl compounds, and volatile phenols were reduced by 32%, 47%, 11%, 39%, 50%, 74%, 41%, and 54%, respectively. The 18-month bottle-aged wines showed the highest concentrations of volatiles, as well as the best performance in the sensory evaluation, suggesting that a good balance of the aroma attributes was achieved on this date. In conclusion, the current study suggests that Treixadura wines expressed their maximum aroma potential two years after grape harvest.

Impact of Different Stoppers on the Composition of Red and Rosé Lagrein, Schiava (Vernatsch) and Merlot Wines Stored in Bottle

Different technical cork stoppers (blend of natural cork microgranules, one-piece natural cork, agglomerated natural cork, technical cork 1+1) were compared to evaluate the effects on the phenolic, volatile profiles and dissolved oxygen in three red (Merlot, Lagrein red, St. Magdalener) and one rosé (Lagrein rosé) wines, which were stored in bottles for 12 months. Gallic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, trans-resveratrol, glutahionyl caftaric acid and protocatechuic acid did not vary remarkably during the first three months, whereas at six months a net increase was reported, followed by a clear decrease at 12 months. The same trend was observed in Lagrein rosé, but only for gallic acid. The total anthocyanins content decreased during the storage period in the four wines. Isopentyl acetate, 1-hexanol, ethyl hexanoate, 2-phenylethyl alcohol, diethyl succinate, ethyl octanoate and ethyl decanoate were the main volatile compounds. The sum of alcohols decreased in all four of the wines. The esters decreased in Merlot; however, they increased in Lagrein rosé, Lagrein red and St. Magdalener during the storage. Univariate and multivariate statistics and a sensory discriminant triangle test displayed similar influences of the different stoppers on the phenolic and volatile compounds during the whole storage duration. The changes detected in the phenolic and volatile concentrations were presumably due to the non-oxygen-mediated reactions occurring during 12 months of storage in bottle.

The Fungal Microbiome Is an Important Component of Vineyard Ecosystems and Correlates with Regional Distinctiveness of Wine

The composition of soil has long been thought to provide wine with characteristic regional flavors. Here, we show that for vineyards in southern Australia, the soil fungal communities are of primary importance for the aromas found in wines. We propose a mechanism by which fungi can move from the soil through the vine.

The flavors of fermented plant foods and beverages are formed by microorganisms, and in the case of wine, the location and environmental features of the vineyard site also imprint the wine with distinctive aromas and flavors. Microbial growth and metabolism play an integral role in wine production, by influencing grapevine health, wine fermentation, and the flavor, aroma, and quality of finished wines. The contributions by which microbial distribution patterns drive wine metabolites are unclear, and while flavor has been correlated with fungal and bacterial composition for wine, bacterial activity provides fewer sensorially active biochemical conversions than fungi in wine fermentation. Here, we collected samples across six distinct wine-growing areas in southern Australia to investigate regional distribution patterns of fungi and bacteria and the association with wine chemical composition. Results show that both soil and must microbiota distinguish wine-growing regions. We found a relationship between microbial and wine metabolic profiles under different environmental conditions, in particular measures of soil properties and weather. Fungal communities are associated with wine regional distinctiveness. We found that the soil microbiome is a source of grape- and must-associated fungi and suggest that weather and soil could influence wine characteristics via the soil fungal community. Our report describes a comprehensive scenario of wine microbial biogeography where microbial diversity responds to the surrounding environment and correlates with wine composition and regional characteristics. These findings provide perspectives for thoughtful human practices to optimize food composition through understanding fungal activity and abundance.

IMPORTANCE The composition of soil has long been thought to provide wine with characteristic regional flavors. Here, we show that for vineyards in southern Australia, the soil fungal communities are of primary importance for the aromas found in wines. We propose a mechanism by which fungi can move from the soil through the vine.

Multivariate analysis reveals effect of glutathione-enriched inactive dry yeast on amino acids and volatile components of kiwi wine

Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) regression were applied to investigate the effect of glutathione-enriched inactive dry yeast (g-IDY) on the amino acids and volatile components of kiwi wine. Results indicated that the addition of g-IDY had positive effect on most amino acids of kiwi wine, especially glutamine and glycine. In case of pure juice fermentation, the concentrations of ethyl decanoate, 2-methylbutyric acid, trans-2-nonenal and hexyl butyrate had notably positive correlation with the addition of g-IDY. PLS regression indicated that the amino acids were highly interrelated to the volatile compositions, and glycine had the strongest positive impact on the concentrations of esters and total volatile components. This might explain the similar effect of g-IDY on the amino acids and volatile components of kiwi wine. Besides, PLS regression showed that E-nose was a good method to predict volatile compositions of kiwi wine, especially esters.

Flavor Profile Evolution of Bottle Aged Rosé and White Wines Sealed with Different Closures

Bottle aging is the final stage before wines are drunk, and is considered as a maturation time when many chemical changes occur. To get a better understanding of the evolution of wines’ flavor profile, the flavor compounds (phenolic and volatile compounds), dissolved oxygen (DO), and flavor characters (OAVs and chromatic parameters) of rosé and dry white wines bottled with different closures were determined after 18 months’ bottle aging. The results showed the main phenolic change trends of rosé wines were decreasing while the trends of white wines were increasing, which could be the reason for their unique DO changing behaviors. Volatile compounds could be clustered into fluctuating, increasing, and decreasing groups using k-means algorithm. Most volatile compounds, especially some long-chain aliphatic acid esters (octanoates and decanoates), exhibited a lower decrease rate in rosé wines sealed with natural corks and white wines with screw caps. After 18 months of bottle aging, wines treated with natural corks and their alternatives could be distinguished into two groups based on flavor compounds via PLS-DA. As for flavor characters, the total intensity of aroma declined obviously compared with their initial counterparts. Rosé wines exhibit visual difference in color, whereas such a phenomenon was not observed in white wines.

Effect of a grapevine-shoot waste extract on red wine aromatic properties

BACKGROUND

The use of a grapevine-shoot extract (VIN) is being studied as an alternative to sulfur dioxide (SO₂ ). VIN stabilizes anthocyanins and preserves polyphenolic compounds, and thus improves chromatic wine properties. In this study, selected aroma compounds (esters, C₁₃ -norisoprenoids, oxidation and vine-shoot-related compounds), sensory analysis and the olfactometric profile were determined in the wines treated with VIN at two concentrations.

RESULTS

Treatment with VIN hardly modified the content of esters and oxidation-related compounds in the wines. However, the high β-damascenone and isoeugenol contents and the increase in astringency at tasting in VIN wines were noteworthy, as were some odorant zones. All these were established as VIN markers after the chemometric data analysis.

CONCLUSION

These data revealed that only the lowest dose tested may be recommended as a suitable alternative to SO₂ . Although some aromatic properties of these wines may change, these changes are not considered to affect the quality of the wines negatively. These results are useful for wineries, which face having to discover the aroma-related processes in the challenge of producing SO₂ -free wines without detriment to their sensory properties. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.